National Contest Journal
Encyclopedia
The National Contest Journal (also referred to by the acronym NCJ) is a bimonthly magazine
published by the American Radio Relay League
, with an independent volunteer editor. The magazine covers topics related to amateur radio
contesting
. The magazine is published in English
and draws its subscription base primarily from the United States of America and Canada
.
n contester Tod Olson, K0TO. In his editorial for volume 1, issue 1 (January/February, 1973), Olson described the motivational purpose of the publication: "We believe that a genuine desire exists for more information about Radio Contests. Most of us have an interest in learning about other stations
, operators
, etc that we find in competition with us." Olson relied upon the National Traffic System
to gather claimed scores in order to print tables of likely competition winners months before the official results were published by the contest sponsors. Publication for the first three years was done with typewriter
s and offset printing
. Each issue was 16 pages in 5" x 7.5" format. After printing, issues were assembled at Olson's home and mailed from a local post office
.
s. The first editor, and founder of the magazine, was Tod Olson, K0TO. Olson was one of two editors to have served multiple times in that capacity for the magazine.
, voice
, and RTTY operations) run twice a year, and are managed by volunteers. The competitions focus on participation from stations in North America. The National Contest Journal publishes the contest rules and results in the magazine and on the magazine's web site.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
published by the American Radio Relay League
American Radio Relay League
The American Radio Relay League is the largest membership association of amateur radio enthusiasts in the USA. ARRL is a non-profit organization, and was founded in May 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim of Hartford, Connecticut...
, with an independent volunteer editor. The magazine covers topics related to amateur radio
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
contesting
Contesting
Contesting is a competitive activity pursued by amateur radio operators. In a contest, an amateur radio station, which may be operated by an individual or a team, seeks to contact as many other amateur radio stations as possible in a given period of time and exchange information...
. The magazine is published in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and draws its subscription base primarily from the United States of America and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
The National Contest Journal was founded by MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
n contester Tod Olson, K0TO. In his editorial for volume 1, issue 1 (January/February, 1973), Olson described the motivational purpose of the publication: "We believe that a genuine desire exists for more information about Radio Contests. Most of us have an interest in learning about other stations
Amateur radio station
An amateur radio station is an installation designed to provide radiocommunications in the amateur radio service for an amateur radio operator. Radio amateurs build and operate several types of amateur radio stations, including fixed ground stations, mobile stations, space stations, and temporary...
, operators
Amateur radio operator
An amateur radio operator is an individual who typically uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two-way personal communications with other similar individuals on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service. Amateur radio operators have been granted an amateur radio...
, etc that we find in competition with us." Olson relied upon the National Traffic System
National Traffic System
The National Traffic System is an organized network of amateur radio operators sponsored by the American Radio Relay League for the purpose of relaying messages throughout the US and Canada....
to gather claimed scores in order to print tables of likely competition winners months before the official results were published by the contest sponsors. Publication for the first three years was done with typewriter
Typewriter
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces...
s and offset printing
Offset printing
Offset printing is a commonly used printing technique in which the inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface...
. Each issue was 16 pages in 5" x 7.5" format. After printing, issues were assembled at Olson's home and mailed from a local post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
.
Editors
In 35 years of publication, the National Contest Journal has had 13 different managing editorManaging editor
A managing editor is a senior member of a publication's management team.In the United States, a managing editor oversees and coordinates the publication's editorial activities...
s. The first editor, and founder of the magazine, was Tod Olson, K0TO. Olson was one of two editors to have served multiple times in that capacity for the magazine.
| Editor | Years |
| Tod Olson, K0TO | 1973-1975 |
| Pete Grillo, W0RTT | 1975-1978 |
| Tod Olson, K0TO | 1978-1979 |
| Randy Thompson, K5ZD | 1979-1980 |
| Tom Taormina, K5RC | 1981 |
| John Crovelli, W2GD | 1981-1982 |
| Rick Niswander, K7GM | 1982-1983 |
| Randy Thompson, K5ZD | 1983-1984 |
| Dave Pruett, K8CC | 1985-1987 |
| Randy Thompson, K5ZD | 1988-1989 |
| Trey Garlough, N5KO | 1990-1994 |
| Bruce Draper, AA5B | 1994-1996 |
| Dave Patton, NN1N | 1997 |
| Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV | 1998-2002 |
| Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA | 2002-2007 |
| Al Dewey, K0AD | 2008- |
Contest sponsorship
The magazine organizes, adjudicates, and publishes the results of two series of annual radio competitions, the North American QSO Party and the North American Sprint. Each of these competitions has three separate events (for CWContinuous wave
A continuous wave or continuous waveform is an electromagnetic wave of constant amplitude and frequency; and in mathematical analysis, of infinite duration. Continuous wave is also the name given to an early method of radio transmission, in which a carrier wave is switched on and off...
, voice
Telephony
In telecommunications, telephony encompasses the general use of equipment to provide communication over distances, specifically by connecting telephones to each other....
, and RTTY operations) run twice a year, and are managed by volunteers. The competitions focus on participation from stations in North America. The National Contest Journal publishes the contest rules and results in the magazine and on the magazine's web site.